Page:The age of Justinian and Theodora (Volume 2).djvu/102

 usually afforded countenance and example hy the logothetes and other officers, who were superior to him in authority, during their special visitations as agents of the fisc. These harpies resorted to every imaginable device for embezzling money, and especially by presenting long bills to the decurions for public works which were never executed. They also invented legal pretexts to commit outrages on the families of the debtors, and wives, virgins, and youths were regularly debauched by them. In some localities even the collection of the tributes was regularly opposed and attended with bloodshed. As for convicted criminals, even they could feel no assurance of having to suffer only the statutory punishments, but according to the temper of the judge they had to undergo a penalty, and hands and feet were lopped off continually, with little or no regard to law or humanity.

same courses after he has retired into the position of a rich and powerful private citizen; De Gubernat. Dei, vii, 21. For the benefit of readers not familiar with the Corpus Juris Civilis I may mention that in referring to "Novels" I am quoting Justinian's own words, or at least the Acts composed under his eye. Much of their text is clearly direct from his pen. But owing to the verbosity of the original I am sometimes obliged to condense.]*
 * [Footnote: punish as a judge; and, what he thinks even worse, continues in the